Leaderboard After Race 5
1st place – New Zealand (Total points: 37 points)
2nd place – Emirates GBR (Total points: 33 points)
3rd place – USA (Total points: 32 points)
New Zealand, Emirates GBR, and USA have gone through to the Dubai Finals event
4th place – Australia (Total points: 31 points)
So close for Australia.
5th place – Spain (Total points: 29 points)
6th place – Canada (Total points: 26 points)
7th place – Rockwool DEN (Total points: 25 points)
8th place – Germany (Total points: 23 points)
9th place – Switzerland (Total points: 20 points)
10th place – Red Bull Italy (Total points: 6 points)
10th place – Mubadala Brazil (Total points: 6 points)
A Fierce Start
Indeed it was a fierce start. New Zealand charged like a bull, straight and focused across the start line, while Great Britain and USA were more worried about out-tacking each other. At the last moment, it seemed Great Britain and the USA realised what New Zealand were aiming to do, and both, stopped focusing on each other and instead, almost in tandem, looked to tack in the path of the New Zealand team. It did not work. New Zealand simply, in full flight, went around them, and hit the start line ahead of both Great Britain and the USA. Wow, what a start for New Zealand! It makes you proud to be a Kiwi!!
But a good start, even an excellent start, is not everything in a race.
New Zealand held the lead until Gate 2, where New Zealand looked to change their mind. Instead of rounding the gate and heading up the right hand side of the course, they opted to go left. On their foils, they did well. Great Britain followed them but New Zealand lost wind and slowed right down. The USA took the other side of the course, and flew away. With New Zealand now trailing last, would this be goodbye to them? Of course, it’s a race of speed, skill and endurance. So much can happen in the space of a moment. The USA surged ahead, closely followed by Great Britain, just 3.6 seconds behind, with New Zealand trailing by 27.1 seconds.
New Zealand rounded the first gate at 1:38 seconds after the start. USA were 3 seconds later and Great Britain were a further 6 seconds behind.
Gate 2: Protests Begin
By Gate 2 New Zealand had lost the lead, and found themselves in third place. Drama unfolded at Gate 2 as Great Britain inched closer to the lead, rounding just 7.3 seconds behind the Americans. However, protests began to fly, with Great Britain challenging a series of USA manoeuvres, adding tension to the already nail-biting contest. New Zealand attempted to close the gap, trailing by 15.1 seconds.
The Americans, trying to extend their lead, sailed outside the course boundary, resulting in a penalty at 4:53 seconds into the race. This misstep handed New Zealand and Great Britain an opportunity to claw back precious seconds.
Mid-Race Battle
At Gate 3, New Zealand made their move! Unexpected speed caught the other teams napping. The Kiwis, they flew metres in seconds, and dived on the inside of Great Britain at the gate. Tight, like a racing track, they edged in there, and came out tied.
In leg 5, with the USA and Great Britain on the right-hand side of the course, and New Zealand on the left-hand-side; New Zealand were on their foils travelling at just over 40 km/h, while the other teams were travelling at half that speed. And that’s how they beat out the other teams to gain the lead once again.
Photo Finish
The finish was nothing short of spectacular. New Zealand crossed first at 10:20 seconds, securing victory with a commanding performance in the closing moments. Great Britain and USA crossed simultaneously 50 seconds later. Somewhat controversially, the USA had come in on the inside of the final mark and had not given the British team enough room. So, controversy followed as the USA faced multiple penalties.
While the protests dominated post-race discussions, New Zealand’s victory was beyond dispute, cementing their status as one of the most formidable teams in SailGP.
Final Results
GOLD: New Zealand (NZL) 10:20 seconds after the start
SILVER: Great Britain (GBR) 11:10 seconds after the start
BRONZE: United States (USA) 11:10 seconds after the start
A Look Ahead
As the Dubai event concluded, all eyes now turn to Auckland in January, where the stakes will be higher and the competition fiercer. Will New Zealand continue their momentum on home waters, or will another team rise to the occasion?
Stay tuned for more action as SailGP’s season unfolds.
